#5 :: Organic Farming Cooperatives

posted Nov 17, 2006

Photo by Carrie Branovan. www.carriebranovan.com

In 1988, seven Wisconsin family farmers formed a cooperative called Organic Valley. Their mission was to support rural communities by protecting the environment and the family farm—corporations have bought out more than 600,000 farms since the 1960s. Organic Valley farmers become equal owners and help determine the price of products. The cooperative now has more than 800 members across the nation—approximately 10 percent of U.S. organic farmers—making it the largest organic farmer-owned cooperative in North America. Right, Blaise Knapp plays a Red Hot Chili Peppers tune for the hens on his family‘s farm near Syracuse, New York. —Sarah Kuck

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